8 Reasons to Use Coffee Grounds With Your Flowers and Garden

Coffee makes for a great pick-me-up beverage, but a garden aid? You wouldn’t think so. However, coffee grounds have many benefits for your plants’ soil. 

While you might be tempted to discard those used coffee grounds after brewing your morning cup of joe, you can actually repurpose them as a garden aid. In fact, they can function as fertilizer, mulch, soil enrichment, and even a pest and fungus suppressor. Not only that, but coffee grounds are eco-friendly and cost-effective, meaning you’ll get more bang for your buck while contributing to a more sustainable environment. 

In this article, we delve into the fascinating world of coffee grounds as mulch, uncovering the reasons why gardeners across the globe are increasingly turning to this aromatic, earth-friendly solution. From enhancing soil fertility to warding off pesky pests, the grounds beneath your cup of morning joe might hold the key to unlocking a thriving and vibrant garden. So, let’s explore why coffee grounds might just be the most aromatic and beneficial addition to your gardening routine.

Here are eight reasons to use coffee grounds with your flowers or gardens.

1. It Enriches the Soil

Coffee grounds are fairly rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, all of which help plants thrive.

If you add coffee grounds to your soil, its organic matter will help improve the soil’s structure and health. Acting as a fertilizer, it can create an environment that makes it easy for flowers and vegetation to flourish. 

2. It Improves Drainage, Water Retention, and Aeration

Because coffee grounds are made up of organic matter, when used as mulch, it can help enhance the soil’s drainage, water retention, and aeration. This reduces the risk of root rot and ensures the soil doesn’t become too waterlogged, which can harm or even kill a plant.

Simply mix the grounds with other compost and organic matter, and your vegetation and flowers will reward you.

3. It Prevents Weed Growth

As a physical barrier, coffee grounds placed sparingly throughout gardens can suppress weed growth. It’s difficult for weeds to rise through coffee grounds, so they have no way of flourishing or taking over. 

However, just as it can suppress weed growth, it can also suppress plant growth if you add too much to your garden. Sprinkle it lightly around your plants, being sure not to overdo it.

4. It Repels Common Garden Pests

While coffee’s delicious, comforting aroma might be attractive to humans, it can deter pests from finding a home in your garden. Adding coffee grounds to your soil or sprinkling them around susceptible plants can naturally repel slugs, snails, ants, mosquitoes, and common garden threats.

Additionally, animals like cats, rabbits, deer, chipmunks, and squirrels might turn away from your garden due to coffee grounds.

5. It Attracts Earthworms

While coffee scares off pests, it attracts earthworms, which are beneficial to garden soil.

In fact, earthworms help to aerate the soil by digging tunnels in it. This leads to better decomposition and water drainage, creating a healthier environment for plants.

6. It Is a More Sustainable Option

Not only will coffee grounds benefit your garden, but using them will also eliminate waste.

By recycling used coffee grounds and repurposing them for your plant’s soil, you’re contributing to a more sustainable environment. 

7. It Suppresses Fungal Disease

According to research, coffee grounds can actually stifle fungus. Specifically, decomposing grounds can suppress species like Fusarium, Pythium, and Sclerotinia.

Coffee grounds prevent fungi from attacking flowers and vegetation and spreading through your garden, which can wreak havoc. 

8. It Offers a Cost-Effective Alternative

Perhaps the most obvious reason, using coffee grounds in your garden will save you a ton of money you’d normally spend on mulch, fertilizer, pest repellents, or herbicides. Since you’re already using the grounds for your tasty caffeine fix, you might as well repurpose them as a natural resource for your garden.

Using coffee grounds as a garden fertilizer, mulch alternative, or pest repellent can help your garden thrive. However, be sure to use it sparingly, as too much can cause soil imbalances. Mix your coffee grounds with mulch or other organic material for the best results so the soil doesn’t become too complicated.

Summary of 8 Reasons to Use Coffee Grounds With Your Flowers and Garden